KIGALI - Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), will receive science equipment from The University of Kaiserslautern (TU-KL), Germany to help the institute improve its science research. Speaking at a two-day symposium to assess the two institutions’ five-years partnership, Dr. Foth Hans-Jochen, Director of Academics in the department of physics at TU-KL, revealed that his institution, will help KIST obtain a glass blower’s shop within one year. “A glass blower’s shop is one of the research projects we are going to help KIST obtain. But we are now looking for support to see this shop in place within the next one year.” He observed that transporting glasses such as test tubes for laboratory use is delicate and added that having a glass blower’s shop on the ground will solve this. The move is part of the next five-year partnership between the two institutions which also include helping KIST acquire electronic and mechanical workshops to capacitate its physics laboratories. The partnership which started in 2005 has so far seen 52 students from KIST enrolled at TU-KL, one of Europe’s IT Cluster; 22 of them on Electrical and IT Engineering. The students who are pursuing their degrees in science faculties will also take their Master’s and PhD courses at the same university. Hans-Jochen, who said that the Rwandans are the best performing foreign students at TU-KL, added that students and lecturers will exchange programmes in research in the next five-year partnership. Prof. Abraham Ogwu, KIST Rector, described the partnership as ‘good’ and said that it will help the two institutions enhance their education programmes. Stella Murungi, a communication student and the leader of Rwandan students at TU-KI, however, expressed concerns over lack of communication between them and the concerned institutions in Rwanda. “Currently, there are communication difficulties between stakeholders in the project. We have no direct coordination with KIST, SFAR and the Ministry of Education.” Murungi said,adding that some times it affects them during exams. Ends
